Fapesp

FAPESP and the Sustainable Development Goals

News

Research funded by FAPESP aligned with the SDGs

News

Research funded by FAPESP aligned with the SDGs

Food supplementation with coconut oil can cause obesity, study shows
SDG 3
Food supplementation with coconut oil can cause obesity, study shows

In experiments with mice, researchers at the State University of Campinas observed alterations in feed consumption, weight gain, anxious behavior and an increase in central nervous system, adipose tissue and liver inflammation.


Sanitized ready-to-eat salad may contain disease-causing bacteria
SDG 3
Sanitized ready-to-eat salad may contain disease-causing bacteria

A review of research on minimally processed vegetables highlights cases of unsatisfactory microbiological safety and calls for best practice assurance throughout the supply chain.


Researchers track yeast population dynamics in fuel bioethanol production
SDG 7, SDG 9
Researchers track yeast population dynamics in fuel bioethanol production

A study by researchers at the State University of Campinas and Harvard University shows that despite the presence of invasive strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, all of them belong to the ethanol fermentation environment, keeping the industrial process stable. Their findings can help cut costs and assure better results for producers.


A new system for predicting fire propagation in the Cerrado in quasi-real time
SDG 13, SDG 15
A new system for predicting fire propagation in the Cerrado in quasi-real time

Available free of charge on the internet, the platform simulates fire propagation in the savanna biome three times a day and is in use in nine conservation units.


In Situ Cell Therapy wins eAwards Brazil 2023
SDG 3, SDG 9
In Situ Cell Therapy wins eAwards Brazil 2023

With FAPESP’s support, the startup developed a smart biodressing produced by 3D printing and designed to accelerate skin wound healing. It will compete for a Global eAward in October.


Leading scholar for a greener agriculture, Mr. Cantarella retires from FAPESP Bioenergy Research Program
SDG 2, SDG 13
Leading scholar for a greener agriculture, Mr. Cantarella retires from FAPESP Bioenergy Research Program

Heitor Cantarella was a member of BIOEN-FAPESP’s steering committee for 14 years. As a researcher at the São Paulo State Institute of Agronomy in Campinas, he has made groundbreaking contributions to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture.


Study reveals how deep brain stimulation helps control epilepsy
SDG 3
Study reveals how deep brain stimulation helps control epilepsy

Experiments with rats at the Federal University of São Paulo suggest that the technique promotes reprogramming of the neurons affected by the disease, making them return to a normal state and interrupting seizures. Increased production of adenosine appears to play a key role in the process.


World’s first hydrogen-from-ethanol plant will be built at University of São Paulo
SDG 7, SDG 9, SDG 13
World’s first hydrogen-from-ethanol plant will be built at University of São Paulo

The project is the result of a partnership between FAPESP and Shell and could help make hydrogen a widely used fuel in Brazil. Hydrogen from a pilot plant to be built at USP using Raízen’s ethanol will power buses on the campus.


Glitter impairs growth of organisms with key roles in aquatic ecosystems, study shows
SDG 6, SDG 12, SDG 14
Glitter impairs growth of organisms with key roles in aquatic ecosystems, study shows

Researchers at the University of São Paulo investigated the effects of five concentrations of glitter on two strains of cyanobacteria. Use of the material in makeup, party costumes and decorations should be reconsidered, they argue.


A cost-benefit analysis of green roofs in Brazil and South Africa
SDG 11, SDG 13
A cost-benefit analysis of green roofs in Brazil and South Africa

A model developed by a cross-border collaboration including Brazilian researchers could help decision-makers assess the real impact of green roofs on the urban food-water-energy nexus.


Sleep apnea accelerates aging, but use of breathing therapy method can mitigate the problem
SDG 3
Sleep apnea accelerates aging, but use of breathing therapy method can mitigate the problem

In a study involving 46 volunteers, researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo found that telomere shortening, a biomarker of cellular aging, accelerated in untreated obstructive sleep apnea patients, whereas continuous positive airway pressure attenuated the damage.


Capuchin monkeys that spend more time on the ground use tools in more ways than one
SDG 15
Capuchin monkeys that spend more time on the ground use tools in more ways than one

Primates in a Brazilian national park spend 41% of their time on the ground. Territoriality influences stone tool use, the behavior of females while on heat, and care of disabled individuals.


Precision agriculture produces different winter wines from the same vineyard
SDG 2
Precision agriculture produces different winter wines from the same vineyard

A project conducted by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) cross-referenced data from sensors to analyze soil and weather variations in the same vineyard so as to produce different wines and improve water and fertilizer management. Wineries in São Paulo state are already benefiting from the results.


Build-up of abdominal fat increases risk of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency, study shows
SDG 3
Build-up of abdominal fat increases risk of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency, study shows

A collaborative study by Brazilian and British researchers shows for the first time that obesity can cause a lack of vitamin D and not the other way around. The risk of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in subjects with abdominal obesity was 36% and 64% higher respectively than in those without.


Tropical forest regeneration offsets 26% of carbon emissions due to deforestation and degradation
SDG 13
Tropical forest regeneration offsets 26% of carbon emissions due to deforestation and degradation

A study published in Nature and led by scientists at Brazil’s National Space Research Institute (INPE) and Bristol University in the UK describes a novel methodology for calculating the carbon absorption capacity of recovering areas in the Amazon, Congo and Borneo, which contain the world’s largest tropical rainforests. Together these areas remove at least 107 million metric tons from the atmosphere every year.


Study proposes use of artificial intelligence to diagnose autism spectrum disorder
SDG 3
Study proposes use of artificial intelligence to diagnose autism spectrum disorder

Researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to train a machine learning algorithm to help diagnose autism. The study involved physicists, statisticians, physicians and neuroscientists from centers in Brazil, France and Germany.


Novel enzyme could boost sustainable production of aviation fuel
SDG 7, SDG 9
Novel enzyme could boost sustainable production of aviation fuel

A biocatalyst discovered by Brazilian researchers has the potential to increase renewable biofuel output by removing obstacles in technology and production processes, as well as enhancing the manufacturing of bioplastics and biopolymers.


Exercise is beneficial even in a polluted environment, study shows
SDG 3
Exercise is beneficial even in a polluted environment, study shows

Researchers at the University of São Paulo analyzed inflammatory markers in cyclists who trained regularly and had been exposed to traffic-related pollution. The results of the experiment, which was conducted in São Paulo city, are published in the American Journal of Physiology.


Cross-border consortium investigates long-term effects of pandemic on children and young adults
SDG 3
Cross-border consortium investigates long-term effects of pandemic on children and young adults

The aim of the study is to understand the strategies used by children and young people in low-income households to adapt to the public health crisis and economic hardship in the UK, South Africa and Brazil.


Novel socio-environmental vulnerability index pinpoints sustainability issues in Brazilian river basins
SDG 11, SDG 13
Novel socio-environmental vulnerability index pinpoints sustainability issues in Brazilian river basins

The innovative approach highlights vulnerability to deforestation, fire and drought, as well as poverty. The results can help formulate public policies for sustainable development.


Co-infection by novel species of parasite is confirmed in visceral leishmaniasis patient
SDG 3
Co-infection by novel species of parasite is confirmed in visceral leishmaniasis patient

Genome sequencing of clinical samples from a child hospitalized in Aracaju, the capital of Sergipe state (Brazil), revealed the simultaneous presence of the protozoan Leishmania infantum and an as-yet unnamed parasite belonging to the genus Crithidia, identified earlier in a fatal case of visceral leishmaniasis in the same region.


Rare long-distance dispersal events help maintain genetic structure of mangroves
SDG 13, SDG 14
Rare long-distance dispersal events help maintain genetic structure of mangroves

A study combining genetic analysis and oceanographic simulations showed that a species of mangrove rarely disperses very far, so that North and South Brazil have two distinct populations. The results can help prioritize conservation units and understand global patterns in mangrove forest formation.


Innovation to treat skin cancer will be used by Brazil’s public health clinics
SDG 3, SDG 9
Innovation to treat skin cancer will be used by Brazil’s public health clinics

Photodynamic therapy developed by the Center for Research in Optics and Photonics, which is supported by FAPESP, has been recommended by Brazil’s federal body responsible for including novel healthcare technologies in the national health service.


Three out of every ten meals ordered from the main food delivery app in Brazil come from dark kitchens
SDG 3, SDG 12
Three out of every ten meals ordered from the main food delivery app in Brazil come from dark kitchens

The first-ever study of dark kitchens conducted in Brazil collected data on 22,520 establishments located in three cities in São Paulo state and listed by iFood. An article on the study offers a profile of these delivery-only restaurants, which proliferated during the pandemic.


Amazon dark earth boosts tree growth as much as sixfold
SDG 13
Amazon dark earth boosts tree growth as much as sixfold

Brazilian scientists analyzed the typical soil composition resulting from native management with the aim of developing biotech applications for more effective restoration of degraded areas.


News about research projects funded by FAPESP and articulated with the SDGs: